114 comments on “Open mike 19/03/2013”

The BBC is utterly banal…this Peter Taylor effort almost rivals its ludicrous claim that Andrew Neil broke the story that Saddam had no WMD.

Letter to BBC journalist Peter Taylor

Mr Taylor,
Your new BBC piece and your Panorama TV programme are titled “Iraq: The Spies Who Fooled the World”, only they did not fool the word, did they? The French and Russian governments for example were not convinced Saddam had WMD nor were our own Intelligence services and of course, neither were multitudes of ordinary people around the world, two million of whom marched in London to prove the point.

It is astonishing to me that after all this time the same old clichés about the world believing Saddam had WMD and how the Intelligence was “wrong” or “failed” can still be trotted out as serious commentary by top BBC reporters.

Anyone paying attention at the time knew these claims were lies, with the likes of the excellent Glen Rangwala, ex weapons inspector Scott Ritter (hardly a dove), Hussein Kamel, and even Hans Blix debunking the propaganda coming out of Washington and Downing Street as fast as it appeared.

In the final analysis, it was not Iraqi spies or “Curveball” who fooled the world. The ones who tried to do that were Bush, Blair, Straw, Rumsfeld, Campbell, Rice, Colin “Anthrax” Powell and all the other baying wolves (aided by the BBC) and when they failed they just walked all over International Law and committed the Supreme War Crime of initiating a war of aggression.
You might have done a report on that at the time but you didn’t…the information was all there and it still is.

Sincerely,Ed Murray

Honestly, this is “news”?

———————————————————————-

Iraq: The Spies Who Fooled the World
The lies of two Iraqi spies were central to the claim – at the heart of the UK and US decision to go to war in Iraq – that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. But even before the fighting started, intelligence from highly-placed sources was available suggesting he did not, Panorama has learned…http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21786506

Not completely fair to rush to judgment re Collins. Even if he has no legal defence under Japanese law it would pay to wait until it’s clear there are no mitigating factors. We haven’t enough knowledge to down him unequivocally at this point.

When you boil it down “looks” have nothing to do with much. If they did Dunnokeyo would be the person his demeanour and overall presentation (falsely) promise.

Typical champagne socialist,waffles on about the poor and down trodden but has so much extra coin floating around he forgets that he has an account with 50k in it.
Wouldn’t be surprised if he wipes his arse with $100 dollar bills.

Not implying the Shearer has done anything dodgy, but I could imagine with the amount of money sloshing through the UN, it would be very easy to “misplace” a few million here, couple of mill there.
Just checked, 12 billion dollars a year is the amount of money the UN collects.

It looks a lot to me like you’re implying something dodgy. I am not going to say you’re a spineless piece of garbage for making that post, I’m going to state it clearly. You are a spineless piece of garbage for making that post.

Him having money isn’t the problem, as long as he earned it and paid his taxes, no worries.
The problem is, even if taken at his word and it was a simple oversight and not a devious tactical brain fade, it’s another example of incompetence and proof that caucus have got it terribly wrong.

By framing it “anyone but cunliffe”, Shearer’s supporters in caucus justified making a dopey idiot as leader, when it comes to ‘anyone’, they really seemed to have gone for the bottom of the barrel. I just read on Kiwiblog why he wouldn’t be able to justify purchasing Mighty River shares back if Labour was in government, he is simply a hopeless politician.

He will fuck things up in next years election. I am absolutely certain of it.

I disagree there. Editorials carry considerable weight with the general public, they’re explicitly expressing the view of the ‘Herald’ rather than just a “Letter to the Editor” opinion piece that other commentaries are seen as.

People who are politically active view the press differently to the general public, the public tend to view the media as a trusted institution that’s unbiased politically. The editorial is seen by many as an arbiter of neutrality, cutting through the left/right dichotomy and presenting a reasoned and balanced view.

It pays to remember that a good 80-90% of the population get their information from the media only and it’s the manner in which news & information is presented by the media that influences most people’s views. The media is very powerful.

I see Shearer still cant make a decision on anything. In yesterdays Herald column by Bryce Edwards , he is reported as saying that Labour would “look at” the carpark tax if (and thats becoming an increasingly big if imo) they were the next Govt.
Is this the new Labour strategy? “We are not ruling it out but were not ruling it in”, “We will have a look at it when in Govt.”
I’d line the Nacts up against the nearest wall if I could, but I’m beginning to have doubts as to whether I want these dithering fools anywhere near the reins of power.

David can’t make a call on anything because he doesn’t know what he stands for. When making a decision he can’t fall back on his core principles like most politicians from the right and left because he doesn’t have any core principles.

Encouraging signs from across the ditch where the Labor caucus is realising what the rest of the country has known for weeks. The current leader can’t win and despite their hatred for Rudd, he needs to be restored.

I wouldn’t believe anything from the S&M Herald. It suits Murfax and Stoneheart to portray Labor as divided, with Rudd being the great white hope. I think changing leaders now would be even more disastrous for them. Their real problem in Australia is that Labor is about as left wing as NAct, and the Liberals are getting more like the US Teabaggers every day.

A 2007 study led by Ivette Perfecto, of the University of Michigan, showed that in developing countries, where the chances of famine are greatest, organic methods could double or triple crop yields. (1) This is also supported by a similar study conducted by the United Nations in 2010. (3)…

By contrast, Soil & Health – Organic NZ is getting reports that organic farmers in the North Island are generally doing better in the drought than their conventional counterparts. Armed with better soil structures and water-holding capacity, the use of a diversity of pasture species including deep-rooted species like chicory that withstand drought better, and tree crops and shelterbelts, they have been able to protect their animals and their incomes. Some are even capitalizing on their investments by selling baleage for additional stockfeed which is now in high demand.

So it’s not just that lack of pesticides or GE crops that make organic farms more drought resistant, but the alternative practices used, such as pasture diversity.

Hi Karol. Its a crying shame that NZ farmers, orchardists and crop growers have been so slow and reluctant to adopt organic techniques and an organic growing ethos. The benefits to our environment, worker safety, and export potential are so very clear given the body of research on the subject as well as the physical evidence – such as the example you have given above.

I remember visiting an organic apple orchard, many years ago. By contrast we were invited to view to the neighbouring conventional apple orchard. What a difference. Where as the soil was parched with deep cracks around the base of the trees from excessive use of the herbicide round up and the had less fruit on the branches the organic orchard actually felt lush as well as showing more abundant fruiting. Why would you stick with growing methods that damage the soil structure? It seems so backwards.

Despite the slowly growing numbers of growers and farmers that have abandoned the conventional methods over the decades we still have a huge challenge to make organics mainstream. This is partly because the prevailing attitudes of farmers such as “farmboy” who you engaged with on the topic of the amnesty over the weekend (What a dick!!)and Nathan Guy as the Minister for Primary Industries tend to block any progress our small body of organic growers have made.

Would there be anything too wrong with following those farming practices while still not going completely organic? I’m tending towards thinking ‘probably not’. Meanwhile – the market, the market, the market….worst practice returns maximum gains. The market advantage afforded through economy of scale demands centralised, mechanised and homogenised farming practices. And if the waste skyrockets, then so what? It’s a high volume/ low cost game where the returns from sheer volume only have to outstrip the losses from inefficiencies. So they ain’t changing any time soon.

Meanwhile, smaller farmers are squeezed out of market access because they just can’t compete against the high volume/low cost model.

Maybe governments need to subsidise small farmer/owners practicing good farming methods to level the playing field?

Hi Bill. Certainly growers and farmers would do well to adapt their practices without going completely organic, if that suited their needs and the needs of the market.(Yeah! The Market!) If there goal was to become a certified grower/farmer and obtain a biogro (or other) certification for example they they would need need to strictly adhere to organic growing principles and techniques to meet the requirements of the certification. This requires dedication and commitment and not everyone can put their resources into such a project.

Farmers and growers can greatly reduce their reliance upon agri chemicals without reducing their productivity. Just one example is herbicide use. Its just not necessary. There are more sustainable methods available(eg Yealands wines use sheep to graze in their vineyards) if you feel it necessary to remove weeds, which in some cases can compete for nutrients with pasture and crops. However, a well balanced biologically active soil features less weeds, which typically thrive in poor soil. By reducing chemical use they save money too, but not lining the pockets of the likes of Monsanto, Dow, NuFarm etc.

“The market, the market, the market, worst practice returns maximum gains”
Yes, market needs dominate methods of production. Its all about the ease of the market to profit over and above the needs of the earth to be productive at a natural and sustainable rate. Its all back to front. Small ethical and organic producers only have access to a very limited market, unless they are contract growers for Heinz or Fonterror (increasingly less for Fonterror as they are turning away from Organics)

“Maybe the governments need to subsidise small farmers/owners practicing good farming methods to level the playing field?”
Indeed. It would so beneficial in so many ways but I can’t see that happening with having a Fed farmers dairy farmer from Levin in charge of the MPI. I’d like to be proven wrong but I’d say his blinkers are well and truly in place.

Is this news about charter schools .. it is to me !! Herald this morning on Ombudsman ordering Banks to release funding papers .. but this at the very end has my blood boiling this morning … clearly, this is why Gnats are pushing so hard ..

“Charter schools would get money for set up costs and property funding that their private-sector backers would be able to keep if a school folded.”

After Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee’s keynote talk at SXSW, he answered a question about the controversial plan to add DRM to next version of HTML. HTML 5, a standard currently under debate at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the latest battleground in the long-running war over the design of general-purpose computers. Berners-Lee defended the proposition, and claimed that without it, more of the Web would be locked up in un-searchable, unlinkable formats like Flash.

Some in the entertainment industry have long harboured fantasies about redesigning computers to disobey their owners, as part of a profit-maximisation strategy that depends on being able to charge you piecemeal for the right to use the files on your hard-drive.

Tonight I will be in Auckland to listen to Hordur Torfason. The guy that started the insurrection against the banks in Iceland. He will speak at Auckland Uni so if you have nothing to do, want to meet me (I’m 6, 2″ so easily recognizable) AND listen to Hordur talk about how Democracy is done feel free to join me. here is a link to Kim Hill’s interview with him:

so in Ak, 1 in 10 are prepared for an earthquake or an emergency. (i recommend small tins of salmon and cabin biscuits; rice if you have a heat source, and plenty of water stored)
-cost of preparation (how about the cost of not?)
-language barriers

apparently the NZX fell over Cyprus
IMF warns of a falling dollar
-inflationary pressures
-our Current Accounts Deficit places alongside Italy, Spain and Greece according to the C.E of NZIER

about the share-market and lies; I watched this business commentator pimp investment in the market on 3 News some months ago, and when he concluded his spiel, even he could not prevent the quiver of deceit at the sides of his mouth…

ghost
I wondered at the advice from the IMF boffin that would assist our economy – having more savings. Has one of our fabulous musicos set this into a song? Making more savings when it gets beyond a tipping point then lead into a small recession because of the lack of money being spent, reduces national income and then there is a failure to raise total savings, and is well known in economics as the Paradox of Thrift.

If he emphasised getting the balance right between home-run and owned businesses, home-owned and run businesses in other countries, and foreign-owned businesses here at home. he would have made more practical sense. But why should the IMF break with tradition.

Profit is a dead weight loss. It’s the reason why we need ever increasing amounts of money and, due to the fact that our monetary system is based upon debt, why we end up with ever increasing amounts of debt which eventually can’t be paid.

How do things become the latest craze? How do you get people wanting to do something – make it the in thing? Like voting for instance!! I wonder if there is anything to learn from the findings in this book. Worth a look. From Radionz 9tonoon this morning Tues 19.
9:36
Jonah Berger is assistant professor of marketing at the Wharton School and author of the book Contagious: Why Things Catch On. (10′02″)http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon

Good news for us all. Farmers in beef and sheep have got together and are going to amalgamate
if they get enough further support. This is timely, like just in time. We must stop the trend to greater and greater dairying. All us eggs in one basket – drop it and…runny us.

See extensive report.http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/rural/130737/green-light-for-red-meat-restructuringMeat company representatives including the chairmen of the two big co-operatives, who also attended the meeting, indicated that companies are talking to each other about the industry structure.
A similar project for mass amalgamations failed in 2008, despite strong farmer support, when the two biggest meat processors could not agree.

The chiefs within the two big players need to see past their personal differences and get this deal done. The red meat industry has been badly lagging dairy, and one reason is the inability to get a united front going in the international market place, and also in internal supply chain management.

Seems strange tho to be burning it in a car engine thus producing more co2 to the atmosphere, but, a hell of a lot less than simply burning oil products in car engines and leaving the co2 in the atmosphere…

Capitalism, without any limits or social intervention, will seek to take rent by obstructing peoples ability and extorting those in need. Education cost will rise, those found in need with have to pay considerably more than the wealthy to rectify their positions.

We live in an abundant world where nobody need starve, shiver, or succumb to poor medical outcomes. So why is the world so badly distorted? Have western world government forgotten
why we have governments?

Well I do not think that Chris Hipkins was destroyed by any answer that joyce gave.He was destroyed by the speaker himself who let joyce go on and on about Labour starting the Novapay and not answering the question asked. And I do not understand how Labour can be at fault as they were not the ones who signed Novapay off AGAINST advice. But every time the nits are asked a question they always revert to Its Labours Fault and are always upheld by the sssspeaker.He is a shocking disgrace. AND BY THE WAY when key was recently reminded of his own stance about taxing car parks in 2005 when he said he would not be part of a Government which raised this he responded that his statement was made three elections(9 yrs) ago and that in Opposition Ministers do not have access to all the information that Governments do. Hypocritical what! And where is hekia parata?

”I am not going to feed speculation that feeds on itself and goes very, very silly. I made it very clear up there that I am a strong supporter of the Prime Minster and that what you read is media speculation feeding on itself endlessly.”

Slippery the Prime Minister in the true vein of having no sense of responsibility whatsoever is proposing that those other organizations that demand and get rewarded for not having one either will be allowed to ransack your bank account should said banks look likely to be come insolvent,

Look on in horror over the weekend as the IMF and European union told Cyprus to ransack the bank accounts of it’s citizens did you,

Well Slippery’s National Government looks like it is going to give it’self the power to do the same to anyone with cash in a New Zealand bank account…

Open Bank Resolution (OBR) is Finance Minister Bill English’s favoured option dealing with a major bank failure. If a bank fails under OBR, all depositors will have their savings reduced overnight to fund the bank’s bail out.

“Bill English is proposing a Cyprus-style solution for managing bank failure here in New Zealand – a solution that will see small depositors lose some of their savings to fund big bank bailouts,” said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman.

…

Dr Norman questioned the Government’s insistence on pursuing Open Bank Resolution when virtually no other OECD country uses it.

“Open Bank Resolution is unprecedented in the world. Most OECD countries run deposit insurance schemes which protect people’s deposits up to a maximum ranging from $100,000 – $250,000,” Dr Norman said.

“OBR is not in line with Australia, which protects bank deposits up to $250,000.

“A deposit insurance scheme is a much simpler, well-tested alternative to Open Bank Resolution. It rewards safe banks with lower premiums and limits the cost to taxpayers of a bank failure.

“Deposit insurance will, however, require the Reserve Bank to oversee and regulate our banks more closely – a measure which is ultimately the best protection against bank failure.”

As someone with money in the bank, saved for my retirement I feel a little annoyed. However, I am lucky to have that money and would survive such a tax. Generally the housing market gets priority over people like me with money in low risk accounts, which aren’t really earning a lot of interest. Why aren’t they trying to rein in banks re- their role in fueling the housing bubble? Ultimately, it’s people on the lowest incomes that will suffer most with policies that continue to favour the banksters.

I understand the government or Reserve Bank are looking at insurance on deposits up to $20,000.

Having pocketed trillions of euros and dollars in bail out money, now the owners of the banks are coming for the deposits, this is very predictable. Once the same owners pull the plug on the markets, the final stop is to finish destroying public services, then finally the pensions schemes which remain!

Why does NZ continue to find itself being the, *first, or only* in so many situations which are clearly going to cause major damage when they blow up in our face!

Why do so many people not tune in, and why of those that do, is there simply no traction.

Lawless http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1212450/
somthin’ watchable outta the ol’ US of A
“now you give my regards to Special Deputy Yule (come back now) (have you seen the Bootleggers tarred and feathered?)

How many out there are happy with the loud, aggressive fellow from the Insurance Council on Campbell Live tonight ?

He said that insurance companies delaying settlement costs them money, claiming inferentially that wilful delay does not happen therefore, of course. He did not say that delay which results in hugely reduced payouts because the punch-drunk, desperate, often needy insured finally settle for what is offered by the insurance company, which of course does pay. To put an end to the health threatening anguish of it. Unfair and wrong as it might be. To resume living a life albeit a reduced one.

So fuck that arsehole and his aggression. In true arrogant, greedy arch-capitalist style he suffered us the “deny” tactic and all is meant to be well. And I’ll root my boot if his anecdotal stuff about some US insurance guy at a conference in Australia apparently asking about how the people of Chrictchurch are getting on, is any indication of insurance company rorts not occurring.

The other guy on the show , the professor of whatever, has written a book which includes in the title the words delay, deny and defend. I know the US produces some pretty shonky professors in quarters, charlatans, but until this guy is shown to be one I’m much happier with his contribution.

I can’t step out of this writing this post to check out the credentials of the NZ Insurance Council but from memory it’s a body comprised of the insurance companies themselves rather than an independent watchdog so to speak, so ask yourself.

Something has been niggling at me. Not until after I’d submitted the post above did it come – the resemblance of the Insurance Council prick on Campbell Live tonight, in demeanour and physically, to that angel of kindness aka narcissistic lunatic Bill O’Reilly of Fux News.

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In the depths of Upper Hutt, no-one can hear the screams. Lurking in a lock-up in deepest Upper Hutt is The All Seeing Hand, a turntable/throat-singing/double-kick-drumming trio whose sound reflects the industrial wasteland around them. "Quarry Metals" reads ...

The SIS and GCSB's annual reports were released today. The bad news: the trend of the past few years of a relentless expansion of spying has continued. The GCSB was granted 15 new intelligence warrants allowing individualised spying in 2016, ...

Did you want to know something about how John Key acted as Prime Minister? Which bloggers he briefed, or which journalists he had on speed dial, for example? Sorry, you're now shit out of luck. Key is subject to the ...

Being a media trainer is a bit like being a singing teacher.You have to have a very good ear. It’s not merely about being able to correct glaring examples of poor pronunciation, diction or tone. John Key’s tendency to ...

Today's reminder that Fiji is not a democracy: A Canadian woman living in Fiji appeared before a Parliamentary Select Committee and criticised government policy. So the government deported her:A Canadian woman living in Fiji has been forcibly deported just hours ...

Last week the Productivity Commission put out a report about how to grow “weak labour productivity”. These views are being criticised as being straight out of the 1980s. What is a real problem is that we have a problem of ...

The Green Party has campaigned for several years for mandatory palm oil labeling to give consumers choice. Most consumers do not want to support a palm oil industry that is destroying tropical rainforests and contributing to dangerous climate change emissions. ...

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